Gasoline reserve tank



June 24 1924.

J. F. SIMANEK GASOLINE RESERVE TANK Filed Sent. 23. 1922 INVENTOR;

I llu ATTORNEY Patented June 24, 1924.

JOSEPH F. SIMANEK, OF RACINE, VV'ISCONSIN.

GASOLINE RESERVE TANK.

Application filed- September 23, 1922. Serial No. 590,209.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. SIMANEK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gasoline Reserve Tanks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a gasoline reserve tank and has for its object to provide a tank wherein the supply of gasoline or other fuel can normally be drawn from the tank only to a level above the bottom thereof, thus providing a reserve.

It frequently occurs that the fuel supply of automobiles becomes exhausted at places where additional fuel cannot be conveniently obtained, and therefore an advantage of a tank constructed in accordance with this present invention is that a control valve. is provided which can be so fixed that the fuel contained in the tank can be withdrawn'only to a certain level. The operator is therefore warned that his supply of fuel isnearly exhausted but there remains, however, in the tank, a reserve supply which under ordinary conditions will suffice to enable the automobile to be driven to a place where additional fuel can be obtained.

This main object in mind, the invention further consists in the simple construction and novel arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying specification and. drawings.

In the drawings;

F'gure 1 is a vertical fragmentary section through a fuel tank equipped with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the tank;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the planeindicated by" line 33 in Fig. 1'; and, I

Fig. 4is a section taken on the vplane indi cated by the line 44 in Fig. 1. I

l-te'ferri'ng particularly to; the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts. it will be seen that there is pr0- vided a fuel tank 10, within which there is disposed a valve or control tube 11. This tube has fixed thereto a collar 12 adjacent its upper end which bears against the upper inner surface of the tank 10.

The tube 11 is preferably formed solid at its upper end and is further provided with a reduced neck portion 13 to which there is lar 17 and a segmental extension 18. The

coil spring 19 bears against the collar 12'and the collar 17 respectively for preventing a relative axial displacement between the tubes 11 and 16 and to permit the use of the device with tanks of diflerent heights; Fixed rigidly on the tube 11 is a key or stop lug 20 which is adapted to engage the segmental extension '18 for limiting the rotary movement of the valve tube 11.

The lower ends of the tubes 11 and 1-6'preferably repose in a plug 2l mounted into an internally threaded boss 22, formed in the bottom of the tank. Gaskets 28 are preferably provided for effecting a liquid tightjoint at this point. Extending from the plug. 21 is a fueloutlet pipe 24, which leads preferably tothe carburetor of the engine.

For establishing communication between the tubes 11 and 16 there is provided two apertures '25 and 26' adjacent in different verticalplanes in the tube 16. The tube llis provided with a vertically disposed slot 27 which coop erates with the; apertures 25 and 26 for permitting fuel to escape from the tank 10. i

Therefore, when the valve tube 11- assumes its positionillustrated in Fig. 1, that is with the stop lug 20 engaging the segmental eX+ tension 18, the aperture 26 of the tube 16 is in communication with the slot 27 and fuel will consequently only be drawn off down to the level indicated by. the dotted line hen, however, the valve tube; 11 -is rotated so as to cause the slot 27 toregister with the aperture25 all of the fuel in the; tank may be withdrawn; The position of the slot with relation to-the apertures 25 and 26 will be indicated by the indicator plate 14, as will be apparent. Furthermore in rotating the tube 11 the plate 14 is used as a lever.

Under ordinary conditions the valve 11 will be left in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, so that in the event that all of the fuel with the exception of the reserve supply has been used, there will still remain suflicient fuel to enable a motorist to drive to a place where fuel can be obtained. As the tubes 16 and 27 do not form an ab solutely tight joint, some of the gasoline can seep through the openings and supply the fuel for running a short distance.

It should be noted that the object of this invention is accomplished by a relatively simple structure, thereby eliminating, to a large extent, the possibility of the arrangement getting out of order due to the vibrz tion from the machine.

The tubes 11 and 16 may be conveniently Withdrawn from the tank by removing .the plug 21, and furthermore the tank may be cleaned through this opening.

While the construction illustrated and de scribed herein discloses one physical embodiment of the invention, it is not intended that the invention be unnecessarily limited, but reservation is made to make such changes in the specific construction and arrangement of the parts as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

Having thus described this invention what is claimed is:

Claims:

1. In an arrangement. of the class described, the combination with a fuel tank provided with an outlet opening of a pair of tubes arranged one within the other, said outer tube being provided with openings arranged adjacent to and spaced from the outlet opening of the tank, the inner tube being provided with a slot adapted to register With either of said openings, a segmental extension formed on said outer tube, and a stop provided on said inner tube and adapted to engage said segmental extension for limiting the rotation of said inner tube, and means for rotating said inner tube.

2. In an arrangement of the class described, a fuel tank provided with an out let opening, a tube extending from said outlet opening to the top of said tank, a second tube surrounding first mentioned tube throughout the greater part of its length, said second tube being provided with a pair of openings disposed adjacent to and spaced from an outlet opening of said tank respectively, said inner tube being provided with a vertically arranged slot adapted to register with either of said openings, a segmen tal extension formed on said outer tube, a stop lug formed on said inner tube and adapted to engage said segmental extension for limiting the rotary movement of said inner tube, and an indicator plate secured to said inner tube on the outside of said tank, whereby said inner tube may be rotated to cause said slot to register with either of said openings.

3. In an arrangement of the class described, a fuel tank provided with an outlet opening, a tube extending from. said outlet opening to the top of said tank. a second tube surrounding first mentioned tube throughout the greater part of 1 length, said second tube being provid with a pair of openings disposed 56,32 .02. to and spaced from the outlet opening of said tank respectively, said inner tube being provided with a vertically arranged slot adapted to register with either of said openings, a segmental extension formed on said outer tube, a stop lug formed on said inner tube and adapted to engage said mental extension for limiting the rotary movement of said inner tube, collars formed on said inner and outer tubes and a coil spring bearing With its ends against the collars for preventing relative axial C. placement of said tubes, and an indicator plate secured to said inner tube on the outside of said tank, whereby said inner tube may be rotated to cause said slot to register with either of said openings.

l. In an arrangement of the class de scribed, a fuel tank provided with an outlet opening, a pair of super-imposed tubes disposed within said tank, a removable plug disposed in said outlet opening and adapted to receive one end of said tubes, an outlet pipe secured to said lug, one of said tuber: extending through tie upper side of said tank, an indicator plate secured to said tube. the outer one of said tubes being provided With a pair of openings arranged adjacent to and spaced from the outlet opening of said tank, the inner one of said tubes be ing provided with a vertically disposed slot adapted to register with either one of said openings for establishing communication between the interior of said tank and said outlet opening, means on said tubes for limiting the rotation of the inner tube when said openings and slot register, and spring means for preventing independent axial displacement of said tubes, said inner tube being adapted to be rotated by turning said indicator plate.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH F. SIMANEK. 

